


I Like Me Better When I’m With You

by therearenousernameleft



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gendrya - Freeform, POV Brienne of Tarth, POV Daenerys, POV Davos Seaworth, POV Jon Snow, POV Sansa Stark, hints of jaime/brienne, hints of podrick/sansa, yet another reunion fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 15:39:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17428742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/therearenousernameleft/pseuds/therearenousernameleft
Summary: Bits and pieces of Arya and Gendry’s growing relationship, after the reunion, from everyone else’s POV.





	I Like Me Better When I’m With You

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing except my mistakes (probably too many of those). All the characters belong to the person who gave us the ASOIAF series, G.R.R.M.

**I Like Me Better When I’m With You**

 

** Jon **

Of all the things Jon expected from his return to Winterfell, Arya standing still and staring at Gendry like she had seen a ghost was not one those things. She hadn’t noticed Gendry until after Jon had wiped her tears. Arya was smiling up at him, she reached up and gently wiped his tears too, this is when her eyes darted to the sudden movement behind him, and she went still. For a moment he thought that she had seen Drogon, seeing the dragons for the first time was something otherworldly. Arya took a step back, and he turned to ask Daenerys if he could introduce Arya to Drogon when he noticed that it was Gendry she was starting at.

She looked at Gendry as if he was a ghost, like a memory that used to be beautiful, a memory which was haunted by the ghosts of what could have been. The tears which had stopped flowing when she had hugged Jon started afresh in her eyes. His heart clenched. He looked at Gendry who wore the same expressions, but there was something more in his eyes, a tinge of guilt perhaps, but he couldn’t be certain.

Things were starting to make sense, Gendry’s eagerness to join him, Gendry always trying to protect him, his hesitation to leave Jon beyond the wall. Then why didn’t he simply tell Jon that he knew Arya?

Arya was walking towards Gendry, her pace slow, as if she was waiting for him to disappear, like she knew he was going to disappear. Gendry took a hesitant step toward her like he couldn’t believe his eyes that Arya was standing in front of him. Jon looked up at Ser Davos and saw him looking at them curiously. His gaze flitted across the crowd, and almost everyone looked curious, except The Hound, who looked bored, yet amused.

“Gendry,” Arya said softly. There was something in her voice, something so close to yearning that it made Jon’s heart twist painfully in his chest and the way Gendry’s eyelids fluttered when Arya said his name, he knew that Gendry was using all his strength to not collapse in relief.

“M’lady,” Gendry said, a touch of affection in his voice that comes with familiarity and it made Jon stiffen slightly. He knew Gendry was a good man, but Arya was his little sister. And he still didn’t know what had happened between them, but he was sure as hell going to find out.

Jon looked at Arya waiting for her to scold him that she is no lady, but to his astonishment a surprised laugh escaped her lips.

Arya shook her head in fond exasperation making Gendry smile. “Stupid.”

“I take it they knew each other,” Sansa said quietly from beside him.

He nodded. He looked at Arya and Gendry staring awkwardly at each other not knowing whether to embrace each other or pat each other on the back.

He nodded. “Looks like they do.”

Gendry has some explaining to do.

***

** Sansa **

Sansa was in the crypts when she heard them. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop, she only wanted to visit father and mother one last time before leaving.

“You look… well.” Gendry said, sounding slightly hesitant. “Your hair is longer.”

After the feast Arya had told them how she knew Gendry, she didn’t dwell in the details, just that he was with her when she escaped King’s Landing. Jon had left to speak with Gendry shortly after that.

“A bit,” Arya replied.

Silence settled once more, followed by soft murmurs. She should not be here. She turned to leave and ran into Podrick, who went red and opened his mouth to apologize. She placed her palm over his lips, and his eyes widened, blushing she lowered her hand. Before she could explain, Arya’s voice reverberated through the crypts.

“Didn’t think you would help my brother, you refused once.” Sansa winced at the barely concealed anger behind the words.

“You know that is not what I meant.” Gendry tried to explain. “Things were diff- “

“Things were not different. There was war then, there is war now. The only difference was then I asked you to stay. I asked you to stay with me.” Sansa’s brow shot up. Arya didn’t tell them all this.

“You know why I couldn’t have. You have to understand- “

Arya let out a sad laugh. “The unfortunate thing is I do, I do understand, and it is so frustrating. You have no idea how much I wanted to hate you. And I hated myself when I realized I couldn’t. You were the first person I trusted, you were the first person I wanted to be in my pack, and you were going to leave me too.”

Sansa’s chest tightened at Arya’s dejected tone. She felt her eyes stinging and turned to leave. It was wrong, hearing this.

“Arya, if I could- “

Gendry’s voice was filled with sorrow, but before he could continue Arya stopped him.

“I know,” Arya spoke softly. “I’m glad you are here, Gendry.” There was a vulnerability in her voice that surprised Sansa.

Sansa looked at Podrick, who was looking at her with curious expressions, she turned before he could see her blush. She started to leave, when she heard Gendry.

“I am glad that we are both here too.”

And Sansa knew their friendship ran deeper than either of them understood.

*******

** Davos **

Gendry was grumpier than usual. He wasn’t even touching his food. Usually, after the whole day of travel and work, he ate like it would be his last meal, but not today. Today he was just poking at his food and from time to time glared at someone.

Gendry let out a frustrated sigh, and this time Davos followed his gaze. He saw Lady Arya talking to Lady Brienne and Podrick about something, chuckling when Podrick said something. He looked back at Gendry who wasn’t even trying to hide his jealousy. He almost laughed when Gendry almost squeezed his tumbler out of shape.

“What?” Gendry said through gritted teeth, though his grip did relax, just a bit.

“Nothing.”

Gendry didn’t say anything else but continued to shoot death glares at Podrick.

“Podrick is a good man.” He said trying to hide his amusement.

Gendry’s jaw clenched. “Of course, he is.”

“Lady Brienne speaks very highly of him. So does Lord Tyrion.”

Gendry didn’t reply, instead chose to increase the intensity of his glare.

“Lady Arya- “He noticed how Gendry’s shoulders stiffened in anticipation, maybe a little bit, no, not a bit, mostly with dread. “looks good today, doesn’t she?”

Gendry sighed in relief then mumbled to himself. “She always does.”

A wench approached to refill their tumblers with meads. The wench was looking at Gendry appreciatively, and the lad didn’t even notice. He only had eyes for Lady Arya and glares for poor Podrick. He looked up and saw how Lady Arya’s gaze narrowed when a wench leaned a little too close to Gendry.

Davos shook his head. They both wanted the same thing, but neither knew the other wanted it too.

 

*******

** Daenerys **

Daenerys was doing everything in her power to keep her mind from wandering back to the talk she had with Jon after Bran told them the truth. Of all the things that could have happened- no, no she wasn’t going to think about it. Jon said they were going to talk about this once the dust settled and they would.

“You know my parents used to say that thinking about something or someone obsessively is going to turn your hair white. Good thing that is not a problem for you.” Arya Stark said wryly. “Your Grace.”

Despite herself, Daenerys smiled. Arya Stark was definitely a surprise. She had expected hostility from everyone at Winterfell, and they had every right to be hostile, the only thing that was even close was Sansa Stark’s greeting after Jon introduced her. But when she had replied that Winterfell will always belong to the Starks her smile had turned a little friendlier. After that Sansa Stark had been nothing but courteous and proper. Arya could not have been more different. She wore breaches, a sword was always by her side, and from what she had seen during some training sessions, a talented fighter.

“It is a good thing.” She replied, agreeing, her lips quirking up.

Arya looked at her intently, then took a seat beside her. “So, how and when did you realize the Dragons were in the eggs?”

She knew what Arya was trying to do and she was grateful. “Somehow I always knew. Jon told me about the time he tried to scare you- “

A sharp intake of breath stopped her. For a moment she thought she had crossed some line and it wasn’t something that she should have brought up but when she looked at Arya and noticed that she didn’t look angry, she didn’t even look like she was listening. Arya was staring at someone, her lips parted slightly, her cheeks flushed, intrigued Daenerys followed her gaze and upon noticing what caused such a reaction held back a startled laugh. Gendry had just come out of the forge to show Jon the sword he just finished working on, and yes, Gendry wasn’t wearing a shirt.

She cleared her throat, but Arya didn’t hear her, again. She couldn’t blame Arya, Gendry was a good-looking man.

“Arya,” Jon called, making Arya come out of her stupor.

Dany hid an amused smile, Arya looked so flustered like she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t have.

“Look at this,” Jon said pointing towards the sword made from Dragonglass.

Arya gave Daenerys an apologetic look before making her way to where Jon and Gendry were. She noticed how Arya was trying her best not to look at Gendry but was failing, judging by the colour that kept rising on her cheeks. And then there was Gendry who didn’t take his eyes off Arya once.

She looked at Jon to see if knew what was happening between his sister and friend and judging by the look on his face and the way his eyes kept darting between Arya and Gendry, he definitely knew.

 

*******

** Brienne **

“Are you sure you want to spar with me?” Arya said raising her brow. “You don’t know how fast I am.”

Gendry’s lip twitched. “You don’t know how strong I am.”

Brienne watched in fascination as the two circled around each other. This didn’t seem like a friendly sparring session between two friends. The intensity with which the two looked at each other made her blush.

“You look fetching when you blush.” Jaime’s amused voice said from beside her. If anything, she blushed harder. “Why are you blush- Oh.”

“It’s like I have walked back in time.” He said when he noticed Arya and Gendry practicing their forms. Arya with Needle and Gendry with his Warhammer, he did protest, but Arya gave him one look and he conceded. “But this time it’s definitely going to be different.”

They watched in fascination as Arya and Gendry danced around each other. Arya was clearly the superior fighter of the two, but what Gendry lacked in skill he made up for it with strength, though even she could see that Gendry was holding back.

It looked like Gendry was finally gaining the upper hand with his continuous and powerful blows. She looked at Arya to see if she was growing frustrated, but was surprised when she noticed that she wasn’t, instead there was this intensity in her eyes that Brienne couldn’t decipher. Gendry almost had Arya backed into a corner when she ducked beneath his arm and pushed him against the wall.

“I did say I was quick,” Arya said laughing.

Gendry suddenly turned, and now it was Arya who was against the wall. “And I did say that I was strong.”

Both of them were breathing hard, and Brienne felt like a voyeur. This was definitely not sparring, and now she knew what the intensity was. It was want.

“This isn’t sparring.” Jaime laughed. “This is foreplay.”

Brienne flushed to the root of her hair. She noticed Arya and Gendry drawing closer, and she turned. “We shouldn’t be here.”

“I agree,” Jaime said nodding seriously. “We should be sparring too.”

Before she could reply, Hound’s voice rang through the yard. “Oy, you two.” She jumped away from Jaime but noticed that the Hound was looking at Arya and Gendry, who were now standing a considerable distance apart, both of them looking anywhere but at each other. But she did notice Arya glowering at the Hound. “Glare at me later, little wolf. Your brother wants to see you.” After a moment, he added. “Both of you.”

Jaime chuckled. “This is going to be amusing.”

 

*******

** Jon **

Everyone probably thought that Jon was blind, he wasn’t. He had definitely noticed how Arya and Gendry were growing… closer. Some days he was happy about it, how could he not be? He saw how happy Arya was around Gendry, and no matter what Arya did Gendry always looked at her like she was the reason anything good existed in the seven kingdoms and beyond. And then there were some days he was definitely not happy, like right now, the celebratory feast is going on around them, but it seems like they have forgotten that there are other people present.  Every single time Jon has looked at either Gendry or Arya, they have been looking at each other and the heated glances made Jon clench his fist to not hit Gendry then and there and hide Arya in a room till she was grown up. But that was the problem he knew Arya was a woman grown now and if everything that happened never happened then she would have been betrothed.

He had already spoken with Gendry once about Arya, and he understood why Gendry didn’t tell Jon about how he knew Arya, but as he observed them now, he knew he needed to speak with Gendry again. He already had this discussion with Daenerys, who agreed that they needed someone trustworthy at Stormlands and with Davos’s help Gendry would make a good Lord. And then, as was his brotherly duty, scare him and remind him what would happen if he even dreamt about hurting Arya. Then if they both agreed, which they most likely would, he would announce their betrothal.

He decided it was high time he spoke with Gendry. He started to get up when Sansa spoke, “Where are you going?”

“I have to discuss something with Gendry.”

Sansa gave him a knowing smile. “He makes her happy.”

Jon smiled too as he remembered the day Gendry made Arya a Wolf helm. “That he does.”

He had noticed Gendry leaving a few moments back, and he knew he would find Gendry at the forge. He was thinking about what he would say to Gendry when he heard Arya’s voice.

“I knew I shouldn’t have worn the damn thing. I can barely walk in this stupid dress.” Arya groused.

“I think you look nice.”

“I can barely breathe.” Arya said grumpily. “If that is the cost of looking nice, then I don’t want to.”

“That is not possible,” Gendry said softly, “You always look nice.”

Jon turned the corner and saw Arya looking at Gendry a little shocked, and Gendry looking at Arya with such tenderness that it made Jon’s heart clench.

“You do too,” Arya said after a moment, blushing slightly. “Look nice, I mean.”

Jon couldn’t help but smile at Arya’s reply.

“I do?” Gendry said amused as he moved a little closer to Arya.

Arya stepped forward too, tilting her head up to look at Gendry properly. “You do.”

Jon’s smile dropped. He knew what was about to happen and he was not going to watch this. He knew he said he was ready to see them together, that doesn’t mean it will start at this moment. He cleared his throat and they jumped apart. Gendry looked at him and then looked away with guilt clouding his features, and Arya looked something between embarrassed, defiant, and frustrated.

“Gendry, I have to talk to you about something.” Jon said.

“About what?” Arya asked, standing in front of Gendry as if Jon was about to challenge Gendry for a duel.

Jon chuckled. “Just a few things, Arya. I’ll tell you after I speak with him.”

Arya looked at him then at Gendry, she nodded then with one last look left.

Gendry looked at him sheepishly, “I can explain- “

“I’m sure you can, but I will prefer if we talked somewhere no one can eavesdrop.”

 

*******

** Sansa **

Sansa was with Brienne when she heard Arya yelling at somebody. She looked at Brienne who nodded as her one hand went to her sword. Heart beating fast they ran towards the source. They came to a halt when they noticed that it was coming from the forge. They moved a little closer, just in case.

“You are so stupid,” They were almost about to open the forge door when they heard, “You think I don’t feel- you know what, even after everything we’ve been through together you can’t unders-“

Her words were cut off and something clattered to the floor. She looked at Brienne who was staring wide eyed at the door.

“Are they – “Brienne gaped at the door, as she went red.

Sansa chuckled. “I think they are. It had been a long time coming.”

A moan echoed and Sansa felt her own face heating. “I think we should leave.”

“I agree.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> So what do you guys think?  
> Title: I Like Me Better - Lauv  
> First, I know I'm late but Happy new year guys!!!  
> I'm so sorry, I know I said Dec., I honestly don't know what happened. I re-wrote this at least 3 times and I am still nervous.   
> I hope you like it. Again I'm sorry for all my mistakes. Thank you so much for reading <3


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